Indexing to Dropbox without sync of computer with Dropbox

Hi, after some googling I am seeking help here. I have a collection of pdfs on Dropbox, which I have NOT synced to my MacBook. I would like to create a DT database and index these pdfs. This is not possible because the folder with the pdfs on Dropbox is not visible in Finder (because I use selected sync in Dropbox). I am thus using some Dropbox folders like an external drive but since these do not appear in Finder, I have no way to get them into DT, it seems. Switching sync on in Dropbox, would mean I have three places with copies but the whole point of having the pdf collection on Dropbox was to save space on the harddrive. Any suggestions for a workaround are much appreciated. Kind regards, Olaf

What you are trying to do - have the data only on the Dropbox server - is not advisable. You should work with local resources, ie. have the PDFs on each machine, for best performance.

Thanks for the advice but still a strange response. Any suggestions if one does not want to take your advice and wants to use Dropbox as an external storage device?

No, as we do NOT advocate “not taking our advice”. :open_mouth:

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DEVONthink can only index files mounted on a local volume. Which you know. If Dropbox is not “mounted” you are out if luck. (This isn’t a DEVONthink limitation, it’s just the way the OS, like most OSs, works.)

You might try getting a Dropbox share link to a file and use that link to make a bookmark in your database. I’m not sure if you can see a preview of the file – probably not – even if there was a preview it wouldn’t be searchable. And what I’m suggesting is time consuming sense you would have to do the bookmark one-by-one for each file.

Ok, than you for the constructive answer. I think it is a perfectly legitimate question to use a service, like Dropbox, in the same way one would use an external hardware drive. Especially with large collections of PDFs, which may not even be safety critical to loose them, I would like to manage them from my computer. I don’t want to carry an external drive around. The previous answer appears therefore somewhat arrogant and unfriendly to a new user. Your response is at least an effort to provide an explanation.

With iOS devices my thing works quite well. I have folders on Dropbox, which are not synced to my Mac, and I can easily access and read them on the iOS devices where they are only downloaded on demand for immediate viewing. This happens within the Dropbox app and works well. Only on the Mac the use of the browser is less comfortable, which is why took an interest in DEVONthink, hoping for a more elaborate management of the files that is uniform between Mac and iOS devices.

Thank you for making the effort to help (rather than telling me off).

Olaf